1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle roof movable between closed and storage positions.
2. Background Art
DE 102 16 417 A1 describes a convertible vehicle having a foldable roof. The roof includes roof parts movable between a closed position in which the roof covers the vehicle interior and a storage position in which the roof parts are lowered and stowed in a storage compartment of the vehicle trunk. A rear cover is movable to cover the storage compartment. A kinematic system adjustably couples the rear cover to a tubular frame articulately connected to the vehicle body. The tubular frame and the rear cover can be swung up about the body-side axis of rotation of the tubular frame, and when the kinematic system is actuated, the rear cover executes a motion relative to the tubular frame. Different movements are executed for roof storage and trunk opening. When the roof is stored, the tubular frame remains in the storage compartment and the kinematic system is actuated to raise the front edge of the rear cover allowing the roof to transferrable move and pass into the storage compartment. To load the trunk, the tubular frame and the rear cover are swung up about the body-side axis of rotation so that the rear edge of the rear cover is raised and the trunk is accessible.
To make it easier to load the trunk, the roof stowed in the storage compartment can be put into a raised loading assistance position. To accomplish this, the roof kinematic system for raising the roof parts is actuated, when the rear cover is open and the tubular frame raised, into a position directly beneath the swung-up rear cover. This makes the space located beneath the roof parts more accessible.
The swung-up tubular frame including the rear cover held on the tubular frame represent a relatively large mass which can be set into oscillation relatively easily. To prevent excessively high stress on the mounts of the tubular frame, it is necessary to ensure the oscillations do not exceed a permissible value. Moreover, it is necessary to ensure the proportions of the tubular frame and the contours of the roof adapt to one another.
DE 102 16 417 A1 describes the tubular frame remaining in the storage compartment while the roof executes the storage movement and the roof is laid down through the opening bordered and delimited by the tubular frame. This requires a tubular frame of relatively large dimensions.